How good was Tommy Farr?

I have studied film of Tommy. He developed a style in the boxing booths where he could fight all day. I think subconsciously he could fight hard enough to make a fight close with just about anyone. He was almost too clever to be entirely overwhelmed and was expert at smothering, altering pace and keeping things quite calm. Very good inside.

Beating Walter Neusel was a big deal at the time but I don't think he proved to be any better than anyone else I have seen him fight because he always seemed to fight hard enough to keep a fight quite close without actually clearly winning them even though the fights in England he would get the decision and the ones in America he seemed to lose, most likely doing the same thing in both country's. His fight with red burman could have went either way and so could what I have seen of Bear and Braddock. Peter Wilson thought Tommy Laughran was outright robbed.


I have Tommys autobiography somewhere. Farr made a fortune in boxing and he got out of going to war because he was "unfit to fight" due to something wrong with his ears. They did manage to get him in uniform but he had an "illness" and never went over seas. It did not quite add up. He made a boxing comeback only when a business failed.

 

Listen Mr Illiterate, Farr was bigger than Louis, and had a longer reach. Farr was a vastly experienced cagey defensive boxer ,the kind that nobody looks good against.
Louis was making his first defence and injured his right hand during the fight.

Donovan refereed 10 of Louis's title defences, hardly inordinate considering he was the premier referee at the time. Eight out of those ten were in NY, where Donovan was based.

Donovan was the referee for15 + Louis fights ? Out of 69 is that a lot?
Are we going to get more accusations about Louis and his management being crooked and having corrupt referees and judges protecting him? We've been over this and you couldnt produce one iota of proof to back up your claims so spare us the B.S.

 

McVey,

As usual you might want to check your math.

From the early ‘30s to the mid ‘40s Arthur Donovan worked twenty Joe Louis fights in New York, and fourteen championship fights in total.

I put in a new Art Donovan thread just for you which highlights some of his odd actions. You can reply there for Donovan, I'd rather keep this thread about Tommy Farr.

 

You want me to check my maths yet you say Donovan worked 15 championship fights? he worked 19 ,20 if you count the Thil v Apostoli one.
Donovan was the third man in 11 of Louis's defences.
Why did you say Farr was small?
At 204.75lbs he outweighed Louis by7.25lbs.

 

Words of wisdom from Tommy Farr:


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I think that we all agree that if Joe Louis had never been born, there would be a number of additional lineal heavyweight champions. I could imagine a scenario where Farr could have been one of them.

 

Farr was never going to make a dominant champion because he could not decisively beat top fighters. He was good at making fights close. As good as he was a lot of his fights could have went either way.

 

Never really gave Farr a good look but after watching the clip of him vs Louis I can see that he'd be a tough night's work for just about anyone. He was a competent boxer who used his jab and wasn't afraid to let his hands go, plus he was a tough customer and took a good punch. I would've liked to have seen him fight someone like Holyfield. It would've been a good action fight.....for as long as it lasts.